Ferry-landing mechanism.



H. T. GOSS.

. FERRY LANDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. I9I3.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I up" o 0 o o o o o o o WITNESSES /N I/E/I/ TOR A H.T.G0ss. l FERRY -LANDING MECHANISNI.

APPLICATION FILED .IIJLY 29.19I3.

- Patented Nov.16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H.-T. Goss. FERRY LANDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED'JULY 29.1913.

a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WSP t, et n, Referring.. to ig'sl` f 1 to" 4 incliisive 'of f the y `hei-inaiter`I explain LNrrED STATES EEN EEroE.

HARRY, T." Gossf 0E ENTHEEEED;

NEW JERSEY, AssiGNoE To GEORGE (H.

EEOTHINGHAM co., or NEW YORK, N. Yt, A CORPORATION 0E NEW YORK.

EEEELANijrNG MEoiraliirs'ixi.v

specification, reference being Ahad tothe accompanying' drawings, forming' a--pa.rt to One object of lmy invention is Vtoy provide" a simple and' durable` mechanisniiJ for secur-` ing a gang-plank in its elevated'position, of

such a' characterthatitfmay be readily-re# leased from thel deck"of abatwithoutfany `assistancefrom a deckh'a'nd `o`r other attend- 'ant on" theshore.M f

Otherects and Vadvantages '4 ywill be set forth hereinafter. y g y I will describemy "inventionl in the follow- `ing specification; thempoint outthe Anovel features thereofv in' appended p claims. v Referringftoy the drawings: Figure l 'lsjan" elevation of "a ferryilanding*showing` a 'porf tionz Ioit' a "ferryboat whi'ch ysecured there? to; A Iside"elevation"io'n a larger sca'l'eof the'V gangplank 'in its" elevated 'position isshown f'- inFigJQ.' Figs. Snand'cv are respectively'a plan view and an elevation vlocikii'igatits outerend of 'the .Figi 2.`

5 andKY 6 are views"cbrres'pondingrespec dravings5"` vlOwlr'epresentsA the lowei'fdeck" and ll` theluppei" deck oit'Y a ferry: bridge;y 12' mnected at "'13 to the upperdeek llandltoq` which E Seemed a 1,pivoter gang-plaine 14e t y "which my present invention lisp" principally'y concer/rivedi; is radapted to occaifgiyr` 'an "el'eaza'ted po's'itionx as The; aimed; plakt wat what a. is @appeared as e plank" p at"25. f The link 23 is yLike Vcharacters of. reference designate .cor'l ateinted'Nov.r s'ial N8. 781,771.

` aan as Shown in Fig. 1 and in dotted line-S in Fig.'"2,` whenits outer end rests on the"V deck of a boat. The gang-plank is pivoted at 2O near thev outer end of the gang way l2y and is either provided with a coun terweight such as structedf'as to' be' ordein that it may ybe very readily swung from its lowered to its elevated'position or p vice versa.. n Various means may be employed or holding theplank in its elevated position within the spirit and scopeof my in` ventionf For purposes of illustration IV have chosen four different arrangements,`` the first vof which is illustrated in Figs. l and 4 land comprises' anoverset toggle and a suitable releasing lever and the second of e ,which shown 1n Figs. o and 6, and comprises an ar- 19, or is otherwise so coni substantially balanced in c rangement similar to the first, except that a i sliding weight is added; A third larrangement consists of aA weight and positive means forshifting the position of the weight so as to'overbal'ancethe'plank in one direc-y tion'sor the'other according as itis found ldesirable to raise orr` lower` the plank. The

fourth' arrangement is similar to the third eXeept that the arrangement of parts is such thata single weight acts automatically to hojldthe`v bridge in theposition to which it may "'beadj usted. In' the "iirst arrangement thet toggle referred to comprises links 2l which are Vpivo'tally connected to the' gangl wayzl2fatf22,y and aflink' 23 which is pivotally connected tothe gang'plank near itsoute'r endandns joined tothe links "21 9o? provided with a hookshaped projection 26 f which, is. adapted to Y engage'apinjQ? "on the links 21,- when the gang-planklis in its elevated position and theftggle is `overset. A bell crank leverBO is Aalsol pivoted atl'24 oneend toengagethe Jlink 23 near'the point g K and'is 'adapted to rev lease,- the toggle,4 apin 31 being` provided at' 25 yandl the opposite farm of the lever being provided with a handle Y32 which deck of the batgrasps the handle 52 and pulls '.,thefbell 'crank leve The action oflfvthe pin' 3l be" grasped by the hand ofan attendantf l/Vhen" a ferry'boat such as 15,' comes up to the ferry` bridge an attendant standing on'the upper"y 1*"3'0 toward him.4 against thelink 23 then serves to'rbreak'the toggle joint anjdfre` p leasefthe"plank"` which may readily'be pushed doivnward "to its lowered position for allowed 1 toffan if "thefoutr end: is,V made 'slightly' oted at 47 near a weight 40ismounted to slide y0n a rodvor bar 41 which is attached to the gang-plank structure and is yso placed thatit` is inclined slightly tov thehorizontal in'one direction or the'other according as the bridge occupies its lowered `or itselevated position. This is clearly illustrated in the drawings and obviously the'weight. 40 slides from oner end.,

to the otlierof vthe rod or bar as thepositionY ofthe plank is changed. y This arrangement has the advantage of permitting the plank itself to be very closely balanced whileyat the same time ithas a tendency toremainin the position to which it is adjusted. In fact,

be utilized alone and mechanism omitted A thesliding weight may the toggle and release entirely. In this Vcasethe weight yis depended upon for holding the plankin its elevated position untillit is pulled down by an attendant yon the boat. ,The weight may be pivotally supported lat the point 2O in-v stead of being slidably mounted as shown in Fig. 5.k This arrangement is shown in Fig. f 7 the position of the pivoted weight 45 being'determinedby a lever 46 which is pivthe end of the gang-plank and is connected to the weight arm 48 by a link 49. lWhen the weight is thrown back as shown in dotted lines 'in Fig. 7 the gang-r plank tends to occupy its elevated position and when the weight is moved forward as is the case when the attendant on 'the deck ofthe boat pulls the lever 46, the plank falls to. its. lowered position. The rotative move mentiof the weight about the point 20 as a pivot, may be limited by any suitable means l such as pins or stops 44. f

' the vguide pulley 53 As shown in-Fig. 8 a weight 50 issuspended by a chain or cable 51 from a' point 52 whichis directly over the point of pivot. 20 of the gang-plank when the vplank-isy midwayvbetween its elevated and loweredi positions and moves to one side or the other of this position according to theposition vof'A the plank. The ,weight Vpended directly from the point fer to interpose the guide sheaves or pulleys 534-54 in order to prevent a swinging movement of vthe weight Yin response to move-V ments of the gang-plank. The location of is such that .the ychain or cable 51 extends through the point of pivot 20 of the plank when thefplank is midwaybetween its extreme positions.

mayV be susthe gangf a pivoted toe or 52 but I pref,V

With` i this arrangement it is only necessaryforv the attendant standing 'onI the deckof the boat to pull down the plank or raise it to itslelevatedrposition as theV casemay be.; Ac-

practice the outer end of the gang plank 14 may be provided with flap 14A which insures a closer fit between the end of the gangplank and the deck of the boat. s f Y The mechanisms illustrated may be provided only at oneside ofy a gang plank or cording to the usual may be partially duplicated on the 'respec-j .'tive sides of the gang plank as shown in Fig. 6. VOther modicationsV and combina,- tionsof the arrangements illustratedv will suggest themselves to' those skilled in the shall be imposedr asare'indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is: Y n 4 1. A ferry landing mechanism comprising a pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position, a

' art and I intend that only suoli limitations toggle for supporting the plank in one of its f and means for releasing the said positions,

toggle to permit the plankto moveto 'itsV lowered position.

27A lferry landing mechanism compris.k

ing apivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position,

a toggle for supporting the plank in itsk ele! vated position, and meansoperable from the deck of a boat at the outer end of the plank' for releasing the toggle to permit Vthe plank to move lto its vlowered position. Y Y

3.` A ferrylanding mechanism compris-A ing a pivoted* gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated positionfand Aa lowered position,

a toggle for supporting thev plank in its elevated position,- and a pivoted 'leveropera# tively connected'with the'toggle adapted to release said toggle to permit the plank to move to its loweredposition.

4. A ferry land'ng mechanism comprising a pivoted gang-plank'adaptedto occupy an elevated position. and a lowered position", a `pair of toggle links4 connected with. said plank adapted to the plank in its elevated position links are overset` in kone direction, and a bell crank lever operatively connected'-withthe:V toggle links adapted to release'the lin-ks to` be Self-.sustaining to hold" when saidl i.

ics

ifo

permit the plank to move toits loweredposi`- l.

tion. p 5. A

ferry landing ymechanism comprising i a pivoted gangplank adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position,

and a rod or bar which is substantially horizontal when'the plank ismidwaybetween the aforesaid positions, and a .weight slidably mounted on the rod lor Vbarand adapted to overbalance the plankin one di' rection or the other and sok hold it in the p0- sition to which*` it is adjusted. f

6. A ferry landing mechanismcomprising a pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupyan elevated position and a lowered position, a toggle for supporting the plank in its elevated position, means for releasing the toggle to permit the plank to move to its lowered position, and a weight operatively connected with the gang-plank and adapted to be moved automatically in response to a change in the position of the gangplank to Y overbalance the plank and so hold itin the position to which it is adjusted.

7. A ferry landing mechanism comprising a pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position, a toggle for supporting the plank in its elevated position, means operable from the deck of a boat at the outer end of the plank for releasing the toggle to permit the plank to move to its lowered position, and a means connected with the gang-plank for movably supporting the weight, ranged to allow the weight to shift its position automatically when the position of the bridge is changed to overbalance the plank and so hold it in the position to which it is adjusted.

8. A ferry landing mechanism compris ing a pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered, position, a toggle for supporting the plank in its elevated position, a pivoted lever connected with the toggle adapted to release said toggle to permit the plank to move to its llowered position, a weight connected with the gang-plank and adapted to be moved in response to a change in the position of the gangplank to overbalance the plank and so hold it in the justed.

9. A ferry landing Vmechanism comprising a pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated positionand a lowered position, a toggle for supporting the plank in its elevated position, means for releasing the toggle to permit the plank to move to its low- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byraddres'sing' the Commissioner of Patents,

said means being ar` position to which it is ad-y witnesses, this 26 day of Jul ered position, a rod or bar which is substantially horizontal when the plank is midway between the aforesaid positions, and a weight slidably mounted on the rod or bar and adapted to overbalance the plank in one direction or the other and so hold itin the position to which it is adjusted.

10. kA `ferry landing mechanism comprisinga pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position, a toggle for supporting the plank in its ele* vatedl position, means operable from the deck of a boat at the outer end of the plank for releasing the toggle to permit the plank to moveto its lowered position, a rod or bar which is substantially horizontal when the plank is midway between the aforesaid positions, and a weight slidably mounted on the rod or bar and adapted to overbalance the plank in one direction or the other and so hold it in the position to which it is adjusted.

ll. A ferry landing mechanism comprising a pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position, a toggle for supporting the plank in its elevated position, a pivoted lever connected with the toggle adapted to release said toggle to permit the plank to move to its lowered position, a rod or bar which is substantially horizontal when the plank is midway between the aforesaid positions, and a weight slidably mounted'on the rod or bar and adapted to overbalance the plank in one direction or the other and so hold it in the position to which it is adjusted.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing HARRY T. GOSS.

Witnesses:

JosEPHINE A. YOUNG, MAUD EDGAR.

Washington, n. c.` 

